The Oxford University study surveyed 5,000 young people between the ages of 10 and 15. They were asked how much they played video games, and then rated factors like how satisfied they were with their lives, how well they got along with other kids, how likely they were to help those in need, and their levels of hyperactivity and inattention.

It turned out that the children who reported spending less than an hour a day playing video games claimed to be more satisfied with their lives and had the most positive social interactions. Children who said they played more than three hours of video games a day were the least well-adjusted among the participants.

According to Dr. Andrew Przybylski, an experimental psychologist who analyzed the data for the study, “Being engaged in video games may give children a common language. And for someone who is not part of this conversation, this might end up cutting the young person off.”

That, he feels, could be one reason among many why some video game play—but not too much—can be good for a child’s overall well-being.